Jody Morris believes that creating a “family feel” during pre-season will be key to creating a successful squad throughout the season.


It has been almost a month since Frank Lampard and Morris first met their new squad and as well as preparing for the season, getting to know each other has been a major part of the first few weeks.

The training pitch and first three friendlies have given the coaching staff an insight on the players qualities on the pitch but the assistant manager insists it’s the qualities off this pitch that can prove to be the most important.

In an interview with RamsTV, Morris said: “Pre-season is a little bit different when you are working with a new group of players, you have got to try and get the physical side going side by side with the tactical side.

“But also, we have got to make sure we have a family feel about it and we are all on the same page and all pushing for the same goal.

“It is important that you don’t just see how they perform on the pitch, you want to see how they are around teammates, around staff, around the training ground and how they look out for each other because that side of things does all contribute to what we hope will be a successful group.”

It is still only pre-season, but the evolution of the squad coming together and creating bonds on the pitch could be seen on Saturday against Southampton.

The 3-0 victory was a great team-effort and although Morris is conscious not to over-play a pre-season game, he said it is hopefully a sign of what is to come.

“You always want to win anything, if you are playing games in training then you should want to win and it should bother you when you are not winning,” he said.

“But it is pre-season and the same way that we didn’t go overboard about Mansfield is why we shouldn’t be going overboard about Southampton, scoreline-wise.

“It is another workout and the Southampton one seemed to come together a lot better, on and off the ball against some good opposition. It is pleasing and a positive but it is also one that is a nice reminder of what we are possibly capable of if we are all at it.”

There are two more pre-season matches left to test the squad and build a better picture of what the team will look like next Friday in the season opener at Reading.

Tomorrow they will train in the morning before heading to Liberty way to face Coventry City for what will offer another chance for the players to not only build fitness but build their case for why they should be the coaching staffs’ top pick by next week.

“Coventry will be similar to Mansfield as far as we will be having a double session, we do still want to do better than we did against Mansfield but at the same time we do understand that it is pre-season and the real work is yet to come,” said the 39-year-old.

“There will be things that will start to take shape as far as conversations within the coaching staff.

“It is only natural that towards the first game of the season you start having discussions about what the team will look like.

“However, we have all seen that it will be very surprising if the group on the first day of the season will be the same come week ten.”